Boccia: 12 Facts for London 2012

Here’s a list of 12 interesting things you should know about Boccia at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. 08 May 2012

British Boccia Player competing at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games

ⒸLieven Coudenys

By IPC

Boccia is a game of skill, accuracy and strategy, and is a sport often overlooked by many. However, at the Paralympic Games, Boccia is known to draw enthusiastic crowds and immerse new fans.

Here are 12 things you should know about the sport for London 2012:

1. Who, what, when?

The London 2012 Boccia competition will take place from 2-8 September, as 104 athletes will challenge each other in seven individual, pairs and team medal events across a number of classifications. The aim of the game is to propel balls so they finish as close as possible to a white target ball, known as a jack.

2. Where?

In London, Boccia will take place at the ExCeL, the largest competition venue at the 2012 Games. It is made up of five arenas and will become one of Europe’s largest and most versatile exhibition spaces following the event.

3. Origin of the name

The word Boccia comes from the Latin word bottia, which means ball. It is pronounced “Bot-cha". But North Americans often pronounce it "Bot-chi".

4. Paralympic-only

Boccia is one of the only the Paralympic sports that has no Olympic counterpart.

5. History of the sport

Boccia has ancient Greek origins, as Greeks used to throw stones at stone targets. The sport was eventually introduced to the Paralympic programme at the New York and Stoke Mandeville 1984 Games. The sport is now played competitively in more than 50 countries worldwide.

6. Breaking the rules

Boccia athletes can be penalized for three different reasons:

• Positioning and turn-taking violations result in two extra balls being awarded to the opposition.

• A retraction occurs when a thrown ball does not count and is removed.

• A warning, or yellow card, is issued for serious and deliberate disruption. A second warning results in disqualification.

7. Vocabulary

There are several terms to familiarize yourself with specific to Boccia:

• End: A passage of play that features six balls per athlete, pair or team.

• Jack: Athletes aim to land their balls as close to the jack – a white target ball – as possible.

• Ramp: Players who are unable to roll, throw or kick the balls can use an assistive device called a ramp.

8. Classification

Athletes are classified in four categories (BC1-BC4) based on their functional ability. BC4 is for players who do not have cerebral palsy (CP). They often have a similar functional ability to BC2 players, who throw the ball into play and all have CP. BC1 is also for CP players, who may throw or kick the ball. They have less functional ability than BC2 players, but more than BC3 players, who may have CP or another disability and use a ramp.

9. Medal Haul

While Portugal hauled in five total Boccia medals at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, Brazil and Korea led the standings with two golds apiece.

10. Mixed Gender

All Boccia events include both men and women competing together.

11. Field of play

Boccia is played on a court that is 12m long and 6m wide, with throwing boxes measuring 2.5m x 1m. The court size is similar to that of a badminton court.

12. Equipment

Most Boccia balls are made out of leather containing plastic granules.